Launching uThrive to empower students in school — and in life

Can you believe we’re already halfway through February? By now, most senior high school students across the country have completed submitting their college applications.

The number of students attending degree-granting institutions has increased significantly over the past 50 years. In the fall of 1969, a total of 6.8 million students enrolled in undergraduate programs, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). By the fall of 2001, that figure had more than doubled to 13.1 million.

And their numbers continue to grow: the NCES reports that undergraduate enrollment rose by 17% between 2004 and 2014.

With the steady increase in college attendance, we’ve also witnessed mounting levels of pressure and anxiety weighing down students applying to college. If you’re a parent, this isn’t news. From AP courses to SAT testing to college application deadlines, the years leading up to college enrollment have transformed into a taxing series of hoops and hurdles.

As parents ourselves, we know the process begins even earlier, with students in middle school already dreaming about their ideal colleges and careers. In those formative years, students know they need to do their best in school to achieve their dreams, but too often and too easily they get bogged down by intense competition and a future full of unknowns. It’s clear that our children need guidance.

In that spirit, today we’re excited to announce the launch of uThrive.

uThrive serves families with children in middle school and high school, offering tutoring solutions for math (all levels of algebra, geometry, statistics, and calculus), chemistry, physics, biology, and computer science. But uThrive is different from your typical tutoring institution.

First, uThrive tutors are a notch above the rest: tutors must be enrolled at elite universities in Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD programs.

Second, uThrive tutors come to you. Forget having to worry about schedules and ferrying your kids to yet another pit stop in the daily rat race. Of course, each tutor must successfully complete a background check, and we encourage them to foster a personal connection to the local community through strong relationships with students and families.

Finally, and most importantly, we hand-select our tutors not only based on their educational experience but also to ensure they utilize an encouraging and empowering style of teaching. We believe that tutoring should be about more than just earning an “A” on that next exam. Grades matter, but it’s equally important to inspire and empower students to achieve their goals. We’re satisfied only when uThrive students receive high scores and, leaving behind the anxiety commonplace among students today, discover a newfound sense of optimism for their future.

We’re thrilled by how our community has already embraced uThrive and our mission of providing exceptional, encouraging, and empowering tutors. After a hugely successful stealth beta program among friends and family, we’re ready to open the program to new students.

Interested in learning more? Please reach out to us at info@uthrive.co. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates throughout the coming year.

We’re delighted to bring to life this ecosystem where everyone — including students, families, and tutors — can thrive. Thank you for embarking with us on this exciting journey.